Demons
All creatures from the Otherworld are called demons. They may appear totally human, or have wings, horns, tails, cloven feet and patches of fur and scales covering their bodies. Their features come in colours of red, brown, grey and black, with often glowing eyes. Demons range from a foot tall to eight feet tall, and often grow and gain features over their years. Due to the rocky history between demons and their Earthly counterparts, many demons hide their nature with illusions and charms, sometimes by law. Demons cannot use Earthly magic. Historically, there have been seven noble families of demons, which are identified in the Earthly realm by the seven deadly sins. Though since the great Divide, the bloodlines have become less defined, the seven groups are traditionally recognised by their features and the specific skills and magics passed down. A tradition in all demon groups is the Otherworldly tongue only they have the ability to pronounce and understand, and a compulsion to bargain, gamble and do deals, the higher the stakes the better. Entities of any species from Earth who have been corrupted before death, such as by attempting demonic spells or performing deals for their soul, or the soul of an unborn child (which is the one to become corrupted) are called warlocks - though a variety of euphemisms are used. Despite campaigns to normalise Otherworldliness, this is still considered an unsavoury condition and not widely disclosed or researched. Warlocks, with difficulty, are sometimes able to speak the demon tongue and therefore cast demonic spells, though do not have the compulsion for deals. Outside of the Otherworld, demons come from 'corrupted' recently dead spirits. Warlocks are certain to become demons if not very specifically sanctified with silver in the short period between death and reformation. A newly created demon may look and act similar to who they used to be - such as a child becoming a small demon, or a werewolf becoming a furred demon - but will have no memory of who they were. Demons can live two or three hundred years before growing so vast that their hunger for flesh is no longer controllable and they are almost certain to be driven insane. Cuts, broken bones and projectiles are less effective to destroy demons as they do not have blood to lose. Instead, ash or smoke may seep out. This is not painful, but escapes faster than blood. As this essence escapes the demon's body, their extremities begin to turn to ash and disappear, eventually destroying the demon. Demons react to direct contact with silver the same way vampires react to direct sunlight. Warlocks are not affected. . Though it's a social taboo and most demons will be annoyed if interrupted, a demon can be summoned by a ritual involving their name. A demon can resist a summoning with energy or charms until the strength put into the ritual is greater than the demon's. The more energy put into a ritual, the less energy is drawn out of the demon to drag its soul across space. A simple ritual (at minimum: saying a demon's name three times over a circle) will supply enough energy for a demon to project a small part of themselves across space and astrally project into the circle, leaving most of the body without consciousness. An astrally projecting demon appears as a wisp of smoke, able to see and communicate, but not move except to 'ping' back to the rest of the body. These rituals are often weak enough to let the demon choose whether to turn up. A more complex ritual with extremely long chanting, at least three people, many magical glyphs, candles and/or offerings can drag much more of a demon across space, eventually even providing enough energy between the summoners and demon to fully transport it. This is said to be an incredibly uncomfortable stretching sensation on the whole demon's body, and with too much or too little energy, may tear or explode the soul, let alone the effect of the demonic energy on the summoners - if they survive.